LOVING THE LAKE ZONE
Dietmar Temps / Shutterstock.com
Kagera region
Intriguing islands
With Mwanza, Geita-Chato and Bukoba airports among Air Tanzania’s network of domestic destinations, no other carrier can match the access we give our passengers to the country’s Lake Zone. This most north-western corner of Tanzania has rarely registered on the tourism radar, but our flights are revealing what everyone has been missing. To highlight some of the hidden treasures of the Kagera region Twiga has called upon award-winning Bukoba-based travel company Kiroyera Tours, which has been organising amazing community-based tourism experiences there for the past 20 years. Mary Kaikawe – the company’s director and one of five sisters behind the family-run operation – reveals the breath-taking mountains, wildlife-packed national parks, rich culture and beautiful beaches that await you.
The Lake Zone offers the chance to travel off the beaten track and discover legendary lake islands with fascinating stories to tell. Among them is Ukerewe, the largest island in Lake Victoria and the largest inland island in Africa. It is approximately 530 km² and is surrounded by over 10 smaller islands. It has an intriguing European history, but today it is best known for providing a safe haven for Tanzanians living with albinism and for its indigenous Kerewe people, whose arresting culture includes the carving of large wooden figures, about 90 cm high, in tribute to former chiefs. The island’s simple rural life is based on community values and sustainable living, including highly successful farming techniques in which every patch of land and tree is individually cared for and owned. A visit here brings a chance to experience a part of Africa few have seen.
Fantastic food The Bahaya people that live in the Kagera region on the western side of Lake Victoria are well known for their food and hospitality. It’s a fertile part of the country with the lush landscape dominated by farmland and fresh produce is a key part of the Bahaya cuisine. Traditional favourites include cooked green bananas, yams, local fruits, staple green vegetables and, of
course, plenty of fresh fish from Lake Victoria. Mary says: “The food is traditionally served on an aromatic banana leaf laid on a bed of grass and you eat by hand while sitting on mats on the floor.” There are also plenty of opportunities to take a tour of the vanilla, banana or coffee farms that pepper the region, where you’ll get a chance to sample the produce.
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